Hey guys! My birthday is soon, and with me and my wife having our first baby (future rock climber) I don't have as much time to hit the gym anymore. (2 times for 45 minutes and 1 hangboard workout).

I have a 10 foot space in my garage I was wanting to build a 40* wall. Similar style to the moon board but with less advanced holds. My question is this... If I'm hitting the climbing gym 2 times a week, and I can hangboard a 3rd day is the home climbing wall a waste of money? Can I use it every day if I don't climb that long and climb in the v0-v1 range? Or will I be over training? Just looking for your pro opinion...

Thanks guys, I just tend to be worried about hurting my fingers since I had a minor tendon injury already.

If youre climbing hard in the gym 2-3 times a week already i wouldn't recommend building a home gym wall. Your muscles need time to relax and hard gym climbing daily will most likely lead to an injury. Of course, everyones body is different. Plus, youd have to have someone set routes for you if youre trynna work technique and it doesnt sound to me like you have the time to be in the gargage drillin away fpr hours settin up different stuff. If youre just looking for strength, id buy a hang board and a regular gym set. Do some running. Now, If you were climbing outdoors 2-3 times a week, then i might see building a home gym, but youd still have to think about the time it costs having one. Just my opinion, but to each their own. Good luck.

Not 40 square foot, 40 degree wall sorry. It would be approximate 8x12 feet. So enough room to play for sure. So y'all don't think I could pull off a little climbing every day? If not, ill definitely just save the $.

Not everyday. If you find that you don't get the gym as often, I would consider it. I find mine as convenient for my schedule since I can't get to the gym regularly.

As previously stated, different people's bodies respond in different ways. I find that 3-4 times per week is the maximum while leaving enough days to recover. Remember that growth ONLY happens in the healing of those muscles being broken down through exercise.

On a side note. 8'wide x 12'high is a great set up. If you can do the exact build of the moonboard (40*, 14" kicker, 8" T-nut rid) I would be jealous. I WILL be building one... later... I plan on having an intermediate grid of t-nuts for additional system holds. If you do build it with 2 off-set 8" grids, you can use it with any holds now and then later on decide to do the Schoolroom holds if you want... just an idea.

The length of your session does not matter if youre pushing your limits. A pumps a pump. Ive personally gotten elbow tendonitis after only a few boulder problems of pushing my grade. If i were you, I'd sit and add up costs and time to build it. Then, consider updating time. You set your new awesome route, conquer it in a week. Time to reset? Take your time. Post pics if you end up building it anyway!

I say go for it. I built one in my attic and it has really helped me to climb harder. When I first built the wall, I was a v0-v1 climber...couple months climbing only on my home wall and I jumped to a v5-v6. (Granted my wall is at 45-50ish degrees and I covered that sucker with ridiculously hard holds as soon as I was able).

I normally climb at my local gym 2-3 times a week now but I still love my home wall. Nothing beats the convenience of being able to climb whenever I want--no fuss.

These days I'm outdoors climbing all the time so I haven't been to the gym in months...but I am always back on my home wall doing strength training and dialing in my techniques. It's also really great to have friends come over and climb/route-set too.

That is super helpful! When you climb 2-3x a week, then you also use the home wall, was the 45ish angle too steep on your muscles? Or did you use the vertical wall on the side to do more low impact climbing?

Can you give me any specific tips for what types of holds you started with, etc.? It sounds like you started about where I'm at. Also how many days a week did you not climb Lol. Thanks for the post again

The angle was initially ridiculous...but it taught me some valuable climbing technique, especially how to be resourceful with drop knee and my lower limbs. I think I regretted the steepness for about a month...but as soon as I found the hang of moving on overhangs, I never looked back.

It does strain the fingers at first so I didn't go too crazy on my wall until i gained some finger strength. I bought super hand friendly holds too...nicros and synrock roof holds were my go-to at the beginning. Atomik is also a cheap alternative. Currently, my wall is covered with all different sorts of holds from all different companies...mainly soill, e-grip climbing hold, drcc, threeball, etc. I started with jugs and roof holds, to pinches and pockets, and now mostly crimps/edges/slopers/more pinches!

To be honest, I never use the vertical wall...I only built it because my non-climber friends complain that the overhang wall is too hard for them to "play on."

This is my typical climbing schedule: Mondays climb outdoors...usually easy trads. Tuesdays/Thursdays at the gym...mostly bouldering and maybe a little wall climbing just to challenge myself (I would be a sucker to trad 5.12 outdoors). Home wall on the weekends depending on how I feel. The home wall is also great when I'm too lazy or busy to get myself to the gym (which is happening a lot more these days). To be honest, my home wall is my go-to when I want to strength train.

I haven't had any injuries or problems...yet. Even though I get a lot of climbing in, I only climb hard maybe once a week.

I have built a home woody in my shed, and it's really hard to get motivated to use it for a few reasons. For one, it is limiting having a small wall - mine is a similar size to what you're suggesting, and even though it sounds like enough space, it does get boring quickly, especially when you don't have many holds (I ran out of money by the time I got to the hold stage and I only have one problem on the whole wall). Also, without the social aspect you get at the gym it gets pretty boring.

My advice would be either find another way to get to the gym another night, or if you're going to build a wall at home, make sure you have enough funds to make it big enough and to buy enough holds. Holds are surprisingly expensive, as you need a lot of them.

i have a 8x12 on a 55 in my basement. i live in a tiny row home and it was the first hting i did when i bought the place. it's nice to have downstairs when i don't have much time. i only actually climb a full out session on it maybe once every two weeks. i climb in the V8-10 range and couldn't be happier with the difficulty my holds and the angle provides. there's a three move project still up, 4 years later. V12?

I found that when i consistantly climbed downstairs for more than a few weeks, my elbows begin to hurt.

you should try to find the old malcom smith pro tips video (or malc smith "splinter" video). you'll get good tips. I just warm up (4-6 problems, 4-12 moves in length, mixing in some smaller holds), then begin to climb the business fo the next hour or so. i'm thoroughly worked after a session. one thing i like to do on occasion is at the end of each (successful) climb, do an exercise (leg lifts, pull-ups, campus an easy problem, curls, military press, crunches, squats, bench with dumbells, burpees, yoga ball stuff, etc). after ten problems, you'll be tired.

Well, I went for it! With a baby I just can't get to the gym enough right now. All of your advice helped me decide which route to go. I went with a 40 degree 8 foot wide, 10 foot tall wall with 2x8 feet on the ceiling... With room for expansion. I started with mostly roof jugs, and very positive pinches and slopers until I get a little stronger so I don't overtrain. I'm being very careful how much I train. I climb around 4-5 days a week, but only hard once or twice. And those days ill take a one or two day break after. I've seen improvement already, but still a long way to go. 40 degrees is a little ridiculous for my level but I expect to gain strength quickly. Roof climbs are my favorite anyways. Here's a pic halfway through the route setting process... Sorry for the messy garage.

Also, the picture angle seems to distort what angle the wall looks like.

Mostly atomik and element holds. I love the atomik holds, but they are tearing up my skin!

so you decided on making one, awesome wall! if the atomik holds hurt your skin, you can file them down gently with sandpaper...don't go too crazy with it, otherwise you'll end up with glass-smooth holds.

And my wall is pretty much set as far as T-NUTS. it'd be way too hard to add more at this point. Plus I copied the moon board system grid, so when i move in a year and have more room, I can put an exact moon board.